A Blessing in Disguise
by Wings of Steal
Summary: The rating is for future rape and possible language. It hasn't earned it's rating yet. What happens when Sakura and Li are faced with the possiblity of being parted after finding love? What happens when a boy from school turns out to have magic?
1. The Sakura Festival

How is it that the wind always seems to stir up new beauty in an already beautiful world. The sakura blossoms would float gently down to the ground the pink petals fluttering lightly. Just before they would complete their journey the wind would come a new sending them skittering about again. The girl stood in the middle of the park watching the simplicity of it all. Her creamy white face was turned upwards watching the blossoms fall.  
  
"Sakura!" She turned away from the trees slowly. Her best friend Tomoyo was running down the side of the hill her long ebony hair fanned out behind her. Tomoyo stopped next to her friend in the midst of the sakura blossoms. The two girls just smiled at each other for a long time.  
  
"Hey Tomoyo, how are you?" Tomoyo smiled and Sakura's deep green eyes flashed warmly at her best friend.   
  
"I'm great, but guess what?" Sakura giggled and brushed a blossom off her nose before looking at her friend with questioning eyes. She knew she wouldn't have to wait long for her friend to go on and tell her what was up. "The sakura festival is coming up!"  
  
"Wow, it's going to be so fun this year!" Sakura sighed and sat down on the soft grass. She leaned back on her elbows to watch the sky, her strawberry brown hair fluttering over her face now and then. If only Li-kun would take me this year. I feel so stupid letting a childhood crush turn into love over a boy who barely talks to me.' Tomoyo plopped down in by her friend.  
  
"Now the only problem is avoiding Roan." Sakura groaned. Tomoyo just had to ruin the moment. Ever since Roan had shown up at school two years ago he practically stocked poor Sakura. He had deep blue, almost black hair that stuck out in spikes from his head. His glasses were small and oval resting on his perfect nose. He had deep brown, almost violet eyes. Most girls swooned when he came near but Sakura always felt as if she was going to be physically ill.   
  
"Can't he just give up for once? I don't like him, and I never have." Tomoyo nodded, gazing off far into a place Sakura couldn't see. "I just wish, I just wish Li-kun would ask me this year." Tomoyo gave her friend a knowing glance and stood up.   
  
"Come on Sakura, lets go get something to eat unless you have to get home?" Sakura smiled, standing up and brushing the loose grass off her baggy shorts. She straitened out her pink top before heading up the hill.  
  
"Nope, I don't have to get home till late because dad's out of town and Touya is working the late shift." The two girls trudged up the hill in silence for a while. They finally picked up the thread of conversation and barely noticed wear their feet were taking them.   
  
"Sakura, Tomoyo, what are you doing here?" The two girls looked up to see Li standing not to far in front of them. His brown hair was still a mess and he'd given up trying to tame it. Sakura glanced up and caught his eyes. She suddenly found herself swimming in liquid amber. She had the sensation of drowning and didn't struggle against it at all. She finally managed to look away blushing heavily.   
  
"We were just going to eat something, want to come?" Li was blushing too and he snapped back to reality when Tomoyo spoke to him. He got the keen sense she was laughing at him. It irked him a little but he shrugged. Any time he could spend with Sakura was great time no matter what.   
  
"Yeah, sure." Sakura smiled at him and he smiled back. Tomoyo sighed wishing for a camera. It was amazing how dense these two were if they couldn't see how much they loved each other. She smiled thinking of all the evil things she could do to them. She decided that Li was the one who needed the pushing.   
  
"Here, this is a great place." Sakura led them into a cozy looking little building. They looked around at all the white hangings with deep green patterns. They were led to a table and Madison was sure that she sat on the side with only one spot so Li and Sakura would have to sit together. Sakura blushed sliding in next to Li.  
  
"So, we need a plan to avoid Roan this year. We know he won't give up, no matter what. Well, almost no matter what." Sakura raised an eyebrow looking at Madison. "What if you had a date? Then he would have to give up right?" Sakura blushed heavily knowing what Tomoyo was getting at.   
  
"I... Where would I find a boy to go with me?" Sakura glanced over a Li. If his face hadn't been buried deep in a menu she would have seen him blushing. æI would take you Sakura-chan if I thought you liked me.' Li sighed his shoulders raising and falling as he glared at the words that blurred in front of him.  
  
"I'm sure you and Li can figure something out. I'll be right back." Sakura silently cursed Tomoyo as she got up and headed away presumably towards the bathroom. Sakura turned to look at Li, and was surprised to see he was already looking at her. The two just stared at each other for a long time blinking. Sakura tried she shift threw the many thoughts running threw her mind.   
  
"Sakura, do you have anybody you'd like to take you to the dance?" Sakura could almost hear the tight control in Li's voice. She smiled weakly at him her green eyes warmer then Li thought possible.   
  
"You.." She whispered so softly she wasn't sure if the words had even left her mouth. Li looked at her confused and she just smiled. "No one really." Li nodded, turning to stare at a knothole in the table.  
  
"Well, maybeyoucancomewithme." Sakura stared at him blinking, trying to decode the super fast sentence. Li blushed looking up at her, strength shining threw his eyes. "Would you do me the honor of coming to the sakura festival with me?" Sakura giggles, hugging him. She didn't even care if he was only asking her so she wouldn't have to put up with Roan. At least he would be the one to take her.  
  
"I'd love to go with you Li-kun." The two smiled at each other but the moment was completely ruined by Tomoyo coming back. She sat down with a plop and smiled at the two of them. Sakura smiled back giving Tomoyo the silent message. Li would be taking her to the festival.  
  
~~~~  
  
"Sakura, I was wondering"  
  
"No Roan, I will not go to the festival with you." Sakura clenched her books tighter to her chest walking that much faster. Roan shrugged it off, matching her pace. He stayed a step or two behind her his eyes glowing. 'Soon, my precious Sakura, soon. Soon you will know my secret and then you will not be able to resist me.'  
  
"Sakura, why do you fight me so?" He jogged to get in front of her smiling down at her. She glared up at him angrily but he pretended not to see it. "Truly you must have a good reason for not wanting to go with me. I will not take no for an answer." Sakura sighed, trying to step around him only to find him blocking her path again.  
  
"Hello Sakura." Sakura stopped glaring at Roan long enough to look at Li mildly surprised. "Here, allow me to walk you home." He reached over taking her books from her arms. She stared at him in open mouth shock as he gently steered her away from a glaring Roan.  
  
"Oh good, Li managed to save you." Tomoyo was waiting for them at the corner. "We were looking for you and we couldn't find you. Well until we saw Roan that is." Sakura groaned covering her face with her hands. Would this nightmare never end!? It seemed as if Roan knew something she didn't and it made it that much worse.   
  
"Thanks a lot Li." Sakura reached out with shaking hands but Li just pulled away from her and started walking towards her house. She blushed and hurried to catch up with him. Tomoyo winked when Li wasn't looking.   
  
"Sakura is it just me or is he, one, getting more aggressive and two, you seemed to shake a lot more after meeting with him." Sakura tensed a little. So Li had noticed she was getting more and more nervous.   
  
"He just irks me out. He smiles at me like he knows something I don't know. I can feel his eyes... eeeeeewwwwwwww!" Li was having evil thoughts that involved tying Roan to a flag pole during a rain storm and using lightning. Tomoyo hugged her friend offering that support that could only come from another female.   
  
"Roan's a creep. Just ignore him." Sakura smiled at her friend. She couldn't imagine what it would be like without Tomoyo there all the time. "Well, this is my stop. I'll call you later Sakura." Sakura waved to her friend as she went threw the gate.   
  
She and Li walked in uncomfortable silence for a long while before they reached her house. They just stood there for a long time, unsure of what was supposed to happen next. Li finally handed Sakura back her books and she smiled taking them from his arms. Of course their hands brushed together and they pulled back quickly, causing the books to fall to the ground.  
  
"I'll get them." Sakura bent over, scooping her books up in her arms. She straitened and tucked stray hairs behind her ear. æOh this is foolish. We aren't ten years old anymore!' "Thanks for walking me home Li." Sakura moved her books to balance on her hips and stood on tip toe, kissing Li's cheek.   
  
"Y-y-your welcome..." Li put a hand softly to his cheek as Sakura stepped into her home. He stood out front for a long time just staring after her. A broad smile cracked his face and he practically ran down the street to his home. æFinally! After years of liking her you take some action..' Li stopped for a moment to touch his cheek again. æWell, she takes some action anyways.'   
  
"Home sweet home." He muttered dropping his bag onto an overstuffed chair near the door to his apartment. He flopped down on a couch not far from that staring at the ceiling in disinterest. Everything always seemed plain after being with Sakura. æRoan..' The thought skittered threw his mind as a bug would skitter through a kitchen. æYes, he is a problem. Why is it that he won't just leave Sakura alone?' Li sighed, rolling over on the couch, pushing thoughts away until later. Why should he worry about it? Li was confident in his ability to kick the geek's butt anytime.  
  
~~~~  
  
"Sakura, this would look so cute on you!" Tomoyo held up a pair of army green cargo shorts that would come to about mid-thigh on Sakura. She held up a pink tank top to go over it. "You should soooooo wear this!" Sakura took the outfit from her friend and looked it over smiling. She and Tomoyo had decided to get together the night before the festival to discuss Sakura's first real ædate' with Syaoran.   
  
"Do you think it will look good?" Sakura only got a distracted nod from her friend, Tomoyo already thinking about hair. How did that girl always manage to stay three steps ahead!? Sakura sat down on a chair in front of her desk smiling happily at a picture from last year when they had all been 16 at the spring festival. Li was half in and half out of the picture the girls struggling to hold him back. It was one of her favorites and she kept it framed on her desk at all times.   
  
"Wow, this is gonna be so amazing.." Sakura stated with a happy sigh. Tomoyo stopped busling around and sat next to her friend. The two just sat in silence for a while. "I can't believe Li actually likes me. I mean, we have known each other for seven years. I still remember chasing cards with him in the park when we were ten. Things are going to be different, but I think in a good way."   
  
"Of course things are going to change a lot. And of course it's all going to be for the best." Tomoyo smiled and stood up, reaching for the door. "I should head home though. See ya tomorrow morning." Tomoyo winked and Sakura could hear her footsteps fading down the stairs.   
  
~~~~  
  
The next morning Sakura couldn't have moved faster. She ran around, making sure everything was perfect. æThis is Li-kun, Sakura, he's seen you before.' She finally had to remind herself, feeling extreamly silly. She sighed running the brush threw her hair again. æI just hope everything goes well and I don't make a fool of myself.' She resided tying her hair up quickly.   
  
"Hey Shrimp, your friends here!" Sakura grumbled a little bit taking the stairs two by two. Tomoyo was smiling sweetly and Tory was eating his breakfast like there was no tomorrow. "Whoa, are you guys going somewhere?" Tomoyo stifled a giggle. Tory looked like he honostly didn't know.   
  
"Don't worry Nicchan, we only going to the festival." Tory looked a little surprised before regaining himself. He quickly went back to scarfing his breakfast, and the two girls decided to wait outside for Li. When they sat on the front steps, Sakura learned that, no, although they may hope, Tomoyo had not grown out of her video tape everything stage. "Tomoyo, are you really going to tape us?"   
  
"Of course it's becoming a tradition." Sakura sighed but smiled anyways. It almost was a tradition by now. There hadn't been a major, or even not that major, event in years that Tomoyo hadn't taped faithfully. Sakura put her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands.   
  
"Hey guys." Li strolled around the corner his brown hair sticking out in odd angles like porcupine needles, hands stuffed into his pockets. He blushed a little when he made eye contact with Sakura but quickly recovered. Sakura blushed in turn as well, Tomoyo giggled, tapping every moment.   
  
"Well, are we ready to go then?" Sakura said finally, standing up and brushing herself off. Tomoyo stood up and tucked the video camera into her bag. Li nodded turning half way to face the gate and Sakura at the same time. Tomoyo trailed after the two of them and smiled when Li very hesitantly took Sakura's hand in his own.   
  
æThey're so different and alike.' She noted how large Li's hand was compared with Sakura's milky pail one. æHow could they have missed this love for so long? They're so romantic together.' Tomoyo sighed dramatically getting a close up of their hands with her video camera before turning it off.   
  
"Look, there's the festival!" Sakura announced, quickening the pace. All three of them smiled, before taking off like a pack of two year olds. They wouldn't have rushed so if they had known what was coming.   
  
  
  
Author's notes-  
  
Panny-chan-13: So what do ya think?   
  
Flame of Truth: I think *pokes her* you need to remind them that this was inspired by me.   
  
Panny-chan-13: Right... this story came from an RP we did together, so I gues... *grumbles* He gets some credit. Please Please Please review or I won't write more. (Well, I will but you won't like it. :P ) 


	2. Wrong doings

When they finally managed to get into the fair they had to stop and look around in wonder. Or at least the girls did. Li thought it looked the same as every year. It smelled like food, it was filled with the sounds of shouting kids and laughing teens, and there were people everywhere.   
  
"So, should we ride a few rides first?" Tomoyo offered finally. Sakura nodded and looked at Li, who looked at Tomoyo, who had no one to look at. "What?" She says, trying to act as if she didn't know what they were trying to figure out. She wasn't going to pick the first ride if she could help it. Fortunately, or unfortunately, she was saved from making that decision.   
  
"Sakura, how are you?" Sakura tensed. Roan slid around from behind her, hand on her arm. She suddenly wanted to take a shower. She wanted to take a hundred showers. Li smacked the hand away angrily and pulled her rigid body closer to him. "Well, I'm glad to see you made it to the fair."   
  
"We however, can not same the same for you." Li said coldly. 'Why is she so rigid? What's wrong with her?' Li wrapped a protective arm about her and continued to wish death upon Roan's head. Roan seemed to not even notice Li was standing there. He gave a curt nod to Tomoyo who turned her back to him.   
  
"I was wondering if you would like to come with me, Sakura." Roan said, attention back on her. Sakura shivered and glared at him. Roan smirked. 'Let her hate me. It only makes things harder for her. And does Li know he's only setting himself up for a fall?'   
  
"I would rather not Roan." She said curtly side stepping him. Roan didn't move. He smirked and turned to watch her walk away quickly. 'Soon cherry blossom. Soon you will be mine.' The three of them stopped not to far from where he was still standing. Li was looking ready to kill but Sakura couldn't warm up. Tomoyo was sighing in impatience.   
  
"Look, why don't we go on the roller coaster?" Sakura suggested looking around. Tomoyo nodded getting in line quickly. Sakura waited for Li, who seemed to be sizing the ride up. Sakura smirked inwardly tipping her head to the side. "I'd always use the fly card to save you if it crashed off the rail in a freak accident." Li glared.   
  
"Are you suggesting I'm afraid?" She giggled and he blushed. "Come on, Tomoyo is waiting for us." He got in line with Sakura. They had general small chat before it was finally their turn. Sakura got into the front car excitedly. Li fallowed her a little more, hesitantly.   
  
"Ready Li?" Sakura said glancing over at him. His knuckles were almost white as he grasped at the bar across his lap. She smiled placing a hand over his. He only tensed as the roller coaster moved. "Oh come on!" She shouted over the constant cranking noise. Li shot her a glare.  
  
"I HATE HEIGHTS!" He managed to yell before the first downward drop started. He clamped his mouth shut and held on for the entire ride. Sakura gave up on trying to pry his hands off the lap bar. When the ride finally came to a halt, Li looked a little on the green side.   
  
"Sakura, is Li okay?" Tomoyo called to them through the crowds. Li threw himself at the side railing emptying his stomach. Sakura frowned patting his back. Li tried to smile at her and blushed a little bit. Tomoyo came over with a smile.  
  
"So, anyone hungry?" Li glared at her. The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. They went on a few more rides and talked a lot. Tomoyo managed to catch every blush on tape and giggled with glee every time.  
  
"Why don't we ride the farris wheel next?" Sakura suggested finally. Li and Tomoyo nodded heading off for the final ride. Sakura gave Li's hand a light squeeze. Li smiled down at her. They had managed to grow close and comfortable with their new relationship. They had also managed to avoid Roan all day.   
  
Climbing into a car Sakura leaned close to Li. Despite the fact that it was breezy up top of the ride, she was warm. Being close to him gave her that feeling of contentment. They stopped up top looking over the sun set. Sakura closed her eyes and smiled. This is what things should be like, now and forever.  
  
"Sakura?" She opened her eyes turning to look at Li. Her breath caught in her chest. He was so handsome. He had always been, but now he was hers. Li looked back at her not saying anything for a long while. They leaned forward unconsciously. Finally their eyes closed as they met in a sweet, brief kiss. They pulled back quickly, blushing.   
  
"Li.." And their eyes met again before they shared a second kiss for that night. This one was not short and sweet. It was hungry, filled with years of hidden love. They pulled together for that moment as one soul in two bodies. When the ride started to move again, they grudgingly pulled apart.   
  
"Hey guys.." The rest of Tomoyo's sentence was cut off. Sakura and Li had just stepped off the ride into the swarm of people standing there waiting to get on or find those who were still on it. Sakura gave a startled yelp as a hand closed around her upper arm, yanking her away into the many people. Li, sprung to action. He looked in the direction she had been taken. He only had time to see Sakura screaming and trying to get away, from a malicious looking Roan.   
  
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" She yelled beating against his arm. Roan stopped running, brought his hand up, and cuffed her across the cheek. By now others had noticed as well and people were running in every direction, making it hard for Li to reach Sakura. Sakura cried out as his hand connected with her cheek, and he kept running dragging her along. She reached for her key but Roan smacked her hand away the key falling to the ground with a clatter.   
  
"SAKURA!" Li shouted out jumping over peoples heads. Roan pulled her around a corner, and she was gone from his view. Tomoyo appeared next to Li's side looking rumpled. 'I need help. This place is to big for me to search on my own..' Li gritted his teeth and put his hands on Tomoy's shoulders, holding her to look at him.  
  
"Tomoyo, you've got to go get Touya. Tell him Sakura is in trouble, and I.." He swallowed his pride even if it pained him. "I need his help." Tomoyo's eyes widened but she nodded. "Go!" He said realizing her shoulders. She ran off in the direction of Sakura's house dodging around the many people. Li watched her leave then turned back to the task at hand. Finding Sakura and killing Roan.  
  
"Let go of me!" Sakura tried again. Roan turned to face her and she flinch, thinking he would hit her again, but he did not. He just shoved her into one of the buildings. She looked around realizing they were in the fun house. The mirrors only brought into sharp perspective that she was here, alone, with Roan. "What do you want from me?" She said backing away from his advancing form.   
  
"Why little cherry blossom, surely you know.." The cold glass pressed against her back and still he advanced on her. She gasped and felt it for the first time. Sharp blasts of unimaginable magic. She had never felt anything like it before. He must have read her face because he smirked. "Now do you see why it is hopeless to resist me?" He pressed himself against her.   
  
"Get away from me you vile creature!" She spat in his eye glaring at him. Roan's head tipped back quickly. When he looked at her again his eyes were glowing. Her wrapped his hands around the delicate flesh of her upper arms. Sakura cried out in pain, his grip tightening by the second.   
  
"You will respect me!" He shouted lifting her away from the ground and mirror. The sound of broken glass was all Sakura could hear. She could not even hear her own cry of agony as Roan slammed her into the mirror. She slumped to the ground, glass still tinkling over her head. Sharp glass shards poked out of her back and blood was everywhere. "Now see my little blossom, lets not go threw this.." Roan reached for her and she tried to move out of his reach, but it only sent pain raising threw her back.   
  
Li's head snapped up when he heard the scream. There was no mistaking Sakura's voice. There was no mistaking that she was being hurt, badly. Her started to run in the direction of the scream, but was forced to stop when something gold and pink caught his eye. He stooped to pick it up, holding it to his face. 'Her key..' Li didn't want to imagine what Roan was doing to Sakura. He blinked and furiously charged forward. When he reached the fun house, the door was open and he could see the bloody glass. Roan and Sakura were gone.   
  
"LI!" Li spun around the key in his balled up fist. Touya ran up to them panting. "Li, where is my sister." Li looked helplessly back at the broken glass. Touya swore loudly. "When I get my hands on the asshole..." Li didn't hear the rest. He had picked up Sakura's aura near the woods to the east, and he was gone. Touya fallowed after him.   
  
Time was working against them. Every moment they had to stop and try to find out where she was, Sakura was a moment closer to losing everything but her life. The only question was, if they found her, would they be in time to save her? 


	3. (this is where the R rating comes it)

Author's notes- Heehee, sorry it took me so long to put out a new part. This stupid ff.net hasn't been working, *growls* and neither has my computer been working. Plus I changed schools to Japan and Flame of Truth moved so his computer isn't up yet... so yeah.. please forgive me for the delay. On with the story!  
  
Flame of Truth: blah blah blah  
  
Panny-chan-13: BTW, this is where the R rating comes in. I know a lot of you wondered about that.  
  
~~~~  
  
Spinning, everything was spinning. She stumbled along falling constantly. Roan didn't care, didn't stop. He would drag her to her feet painfully and keep heading forward. The trees were getting thicker and she could no longer see the festival. Her throat was dry and she was stuck with mangled sobs.  
  
"Let go of me!" She tried weakly to pull her arm out of his grasp. His eyes turned on her still glowing and she yelped. Ugly purple bruises formed where his hands gripped her arms and blood still ran warm and sticky down her back.   
  
"I'll let you go." He threw her roughly to the ground. Sakura nearly passed out as the glass still in her back buried it's way deeper into her skin. She was sprawled out on her back nearly spread eagle. She blinked up at him standing over her. She was struck again with just how strong his magic was, nearly twice the power of her own. She tried to curl up into a ball but he stopped her. "No, no, no little blossom." He kneeled down over her his hand tracing her jaw. "Why don't you just give me what I want? Then we can both avoid the pain and enjoy ourselves.." His hand went down her chest cupping a breast lightly. He ground her hips into hers.  
  
"No... anything but that NO!" Sakura started to struggle again but it was no use.  
  
~~~~  
  
"STOP! Your hurting me!" Touya and Li both heard it and sprinted off into the woods. Li ground his teeth together thinking of all the hateful things he would do to that bastred when they found him. Touya tripped and slammed into a tree, Li didn't even notice. He kept running. "Get off of me please!" Sakura's desperate cry came again.   
  
When Li reached the clearing he nearly puked. Roan was holding *his* Sakura down, thrusting angrily. Sakura tossed her head back and forth doing anything to escape his hateful wrath. Li clutched his sword just as Roan finished his business leaving Sakura limp on the ground.   
  
"Why Li.. How nice of you to join us." Li couldn't sense the magic but he could see the way Roan's eyes glowed. He gripped his sword forcing himself to not do anything brash. "I was going to have to kill you in the end anyways." Li's amber eyes flashed with malice and hate. Pure hatred for the boy that had forced himself upon Sakura. Pure hatred for one who would speak in such a manner. Roan seemed untroubled hiking his pants up and strolling forward as if he was coming to talk to Li about the weather.   
  
"You, kill me. Hardly." Roan stopped walking forward still smirking evilly. His total calm threw Li off his stride. Just what did this boy know that he didn't? Her brought his sword off but there was a tremendous tugging feeling that almost ripped his arms out of their sockets. He blinked away the black in his vision. Roan was standing their with his sword in hand. "What the.."   
  
"An amazing trick isn't it? It's part of my magic." Then there were no barriors up. Li was blasted with unimaginable amounts of magic. It rolled in thick waves grating on his nerves roughly. Roan smirked seeing Li's look of shock and horror. "I bet your wondering where I came across such magic?" He didn't give Li a chance to replie and if he had Li wouldn't have been able to utter a word. "Clow Reed knew that other captors would come after him so he made me. I am a promised. It was sworn to me that whoever was the next captor would be mine. He knew I might have sertain.." Roan sneered walking closer to Li looking him up and down. "Obsticals so he gave me more magic then anything else he'd ever created."   
  
Sakura's pathetic whimpers and she started to rouse from her semiconscious stage snapped Li back into action. Using speed he never knew he had he wrenched his sword out of Roan's hands. Roan was too shocked to move for the split instant it took Li to pull out the time card.  
  
"TIME!" He yelled and watched as everything took on that hazy amber look they got when time froze. He looked around satisfied and was about to pick up the limp Sakura when he was slammed hard from behind. He flew forward making contact with a tree before he could blink or brace himself.   
  
"Li, Li, Li.." Roan picked him up by the collar of his shirt chiding him as a mother would a child. He held Li up above his head watching amused as Li tried to blink the stars from his vision. He chuckled deep in his throat. "Did you honestly believe the time card would work on me!?" There was no amusement in his voice as he slammed Li into the ground. Any breath Li had managed to gain was forced from his lungs.   
  
"Leave Sakura alone!" Li wobbled to his feet charging Roan. Roan easily side stepped the initial attack but was not prepared for Li to stab him from behind without ever stopping his charge. The sword was thrust through his lower stomach a little off to the left. Li gave it a twist causing blood to bubble from Roan's mouth instead of the mocking chuckle. With a satisfied smirk to rival Roan's Li gave his sword a final tug. Blood spewed from the gaping wound in Roan's back. However, Li was in for another thing. Slowly the blood stopped and was it just Li's imagination or was the wound dissapearing?  
  
"Li.. I forgot to mention something." How could Roan be alive!? How could he still be talking. "As long as Sakura lives, I live. Now I know you would never kill my little cherry blossom would you?" Li gaped at Roan. Blood stained around his mouth his lips a rose red but here he was acting completely normal. Just what did he mean by HIS little cherry blossom!? Though rage coursed threw his body Li knew he didn't have much time to think about it. He had to get Sakura out of here and safe. However he was so caught up in his thinking that when the hard object came across his kneecap with a sickening crunch it was like a revelation. He felt sick and dizzy all at once. Black spots danced across his vision and he couldn't quite figure out what had happened. When he looked down he had to look away imidiatly. His bone was protruding from his skin and he could feel the warm tickle of blood running down his calf. He resisted the urge to wretch forcing himself to stand.   
  
"Your bravery will be you undoing." Roan said ready to charge again. Li moved quickly. He grabbed a card that had been spilt upon the ground. It didn't matter of it was his or Sakura's. His silent prayer was answered. It was a card that might help him.  
  
"Erase!" He yelled hitting it with his sword. Roan looked slightly surprised as he dissapeared into nothing. Li could feel the way the card pulsed in his shaking hand. He was very aware of the fact that erase wouldn't hold him forever. He half stumbled over to Sakura, who had managed to sit up by this time.  
  
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" She screamed shrinking away from him. He was hurt for only a moment. Her eyes were out of focus and she was rocking back and forth cluting her knees to her bare chest. Li looked away trying to find a shred of her clothing that would do to cover her up. He finally just handed her his own shirt and she seemed to calm down.   
  
"Sakura.. I need you to heal me." He said finally choking it out. He waited to see how she would react. She looked at him trying to remember he was for a moment. She nodded slowly her hair falling in front of her blood streaked face. She stood taking the heal card in her hand. Li handed her the key. It pained him to watch her shake barely able to talk.   
  
"HEAL!" She said finally striking the card weakly. Time slowed and Li closed his eyes for just an instant feeling tired beyond sleep. When he opened them again a beautiful semi-transparent woman floated in front of him. Everything hazed out of focus as she took him into her arms. He felt almost like he could stay there forever. There was a whispering in his ear, words to soft to disearn. Then she was gone, and Sakura was in a crumpled ball on the ground in front of him. He rushed forward scooping her up in his arms. Her pitiful cries and whimpers made his heart shatter.   
  
"Don't worry Sakura, I'm going to get you somewhere safe." 


End file.
